In Greek mythology, Medea (/ m ɪ ˈ d iː ə /; Greek: Μήδεια, Mēdeia, Georgian: მედეა, Medea) is a sorceress of Greek mythology. In Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, Medea is described as being beautiful in a mysterious yet dangerous way, with shadow-dark hair that tumbled over her shoulders, eyes that flickered with knowledge of dark things, and a remorseless detached face that flushed like a girl's when she looked at Jason. Medea is arguably the strongest non-Olympian woman in all of Greek mythology. All the events of play proceed out of this initial dilemma, and the involved parties become its central characters. Jason has abandoned his wife, Medea, along with their two children. Returning to Iolcus, King Pelias' daughters asked Medea to do the same for their father. Medea met her husband when Jason and the Argonauts arrived in Colchis to claim the famous Golden Fleece from the king. Medea in Ancient Sources Colchis also is thought to be a possible homeland of the Amazons. Medea appears in most myths as a sorceress and is often portrayed as a faithful follower of Hecate.. Medea’s Origins Michael Grant in his book The Classical Greeks stated that the poet admired women for their sacrifice and pitied them for their suffering. To help him, Medea gave him an ointment to apply on himself and his weapons, in order to protect them from the flames. Afterwards, she went to Thebes where she healed Heracles from a curse that Hera had inflicted on him. Although the myth has different endings, the best known is that Jason abandoned his wife to marry Glauce, the king's daughter. The scene opens with a prologue spoken by Medea’s nurse. There Medus, her son by Aegeus, founded the kingdom of Media. Aeneas and Dido (Technically, not Greek, but Roman) Since Aeneas felt guilty about leaving Dido … Aegeus was not born in Athens but was instead born in the nearby city of Megara. She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children, Mermeros and Pheres. Amazons also were said to be of Scythian origin from Colchis. She was of divine descent and had the gift of prophecy. There are many other wronged women in these myths: Dido and Ariadne, like Medea, sacrifice much to benefit their lovers and are also abandoned, while scores of other women are seduced or raped by the gods. Thus, this was the ending of a master plan that the goddess Hera had conceived to kill Pelias for being disobedient; it was her who made Jason fall in love with Medea, knowing that she had the power to kill Pelias in the future. He agreed. Having been told by Medea, though, Jason was not surprised; he threw a rock amidst the army, and the warriors, not knowing who had thrown the rock, started fighting each other and killed themselves. Aegeus Son of Pandion. She is a sorceress who marries the hero Jason. According to John Davie in the introduction … Medea, enraged, sent a dress and a coronet covered in poison, causing the deaths of both Glauce and her father. Medea is in Greek mythology the “Wise One,” a powerful witch who was the niece of the great witch Circe and a priestess of Hecate, the Goddess of witchcraft and Magic. See more. Medea met her husband when Jason and the Argonauts arrived in Colchis to claim the famous Golden Fleece from the king. Her role began when Jason arrived in the kingdom of Kolkhis from Iolcus, to claim his inheritance and throne by retrieving the Golden Fleece. As Pelias was refusing to give the throne to Jason, Medea thought of making his daughters kill him. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Help support true facts by becoming a member. 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